Australia's Science Forum

Hi everyone,

Just wondering how we go about cleaning the gas taps in the labs. Do we get someone in to clean them out, or do we do it ourselves and if so, how?

Thanks

We had a few blocked ones (little darlings shovinf stuff in them)so we had a plumber come in a clean them out. I wouldn't have a clue how to go about cleaning them. I wipe the actual taps over with a damp cloth but thats all im prepared to do.

our maintenance crew do ours when I request it. If it is beyond them then they call in a 'professional'.

Get maintenance to get someone in to do it. Someone is usually a plumber who is gas certified. That way you get all your gas taps checked thoroughly and if any need replacing it can be done at the same time. They will also check the pressure in your lines to make sure everything is functioning correctly. Don't do it yourself. It's not your job.
Lyn.

90% of the time it's matches shoved up the outlet I have a mounted needle that I have bent the end on and can usually hook foreign bodies out.
A goon test is to get a beaker of soapy water and with a small paint brush slosh over tap, if any bubbles appear round the stem you have a gas leak and it's time to call groundsman.
Sorry that is good test not goon

I use a hand drill to remove blockages in our taps. Works a treat for getting out blutack, erasers, balled up paper etc. Anything else I call the maintenance man in.

What is gas?



Oh that is right it is the stuff that has not worked correctly since we moved back into brand new labs in November last year, the teachers absolutely love it when I say the gas is working because I tested and they come to use it and it does not work

I use a probe or a drill to clean out the nozzle, and if unsuccessful unscew the gas cock so to get at it from the other end. You must be carefull not to shove whats blocking the gas cock, further into the gas line. If then unsuccessful I get the maintenance man or plumber in.

About 10 years ago, I had a teacher who would bring in his drill and drill out the gas taps once a year. Only thing was, he used to do it with the gas ON, so anything in there would fly out instead of going further down. You guessed it, he singed his arm a few times, when he inadvertently lit up the gas tap with a spark he'd generated.